The most major news first: Lloyd Robertson’s last-ever newscast will be September 1, 2011.  Nothing’s going to top that, so here’s some news from the past two days that I haven’t covered yet.

Long day for me.  Let’s get right to what you love: highlights.

I will be attending the Shaw Media upfronts tomorrow, as well as the CityTV Summer in the Square.  I might also be at the 2011-12 CBC Fall Preview on June 8.  I will do at least one special article on these upfronts, and hope to line up at least one interview within the next two weeks.

If you don’t see an update from me on May 31, despite Shaw Media having some new American tinkertoys to play with, I’ll be away from home and/or a computer.  I plan to update more than usual during 2011′s Canadian upfront week.  Stay tuned.

It’s upfront week.  The major Canadian media companies want to reveal their new wares, mostly American, to the overfed masses.  To that end, most of this article is about The Comedy Network, and unrelated to the fall 2011-12 season.  CTV’s unloading its big guns Thursday, but at least one major news story has already been offed.

You saw CTV’s summer schedule.  Now here’s Global’s.  Second verse, same as the first.

• Global will debut Combat Hospital The Hot Zone Combat Hospital Tuesday, June 21 at 10:00 PM ET/PT, in simulcast with ABC.
• Rookie Blue‘s second season will begin Thursday, June 23, at 10:00 PM ET/PT.  Rookie Blue is also in simulcast with ABC.
• The Kennedys will make its Global debut Monday, July 4, at 8:00 PM ET/PT, in the form of eight one-hour episodes.
• Canada Sings begins Wednesday, August 10, at 9:00 PM ET/PT.
• NBC Universal, Entertainment One and Global will develop a television adaptation of John Grisham’s The Firm for midseason 2012.  The show is executive produced by Grisham and Lukas Reiter.

It’s almost time for summer season, the period in television where reruns abound, and Canadian filler peeks its weird little head.  Among the highlights relevant to CTV’s CanCon:

• Flashpoint returns for a fourth season on Friday, June 17, at 8:00 PM ET.  CTV claims a date-and-time simulcast with CBS.  ”Encore” episodes currently air Fridays at 9:00 PM ET.
• Comedy Now! will begin its thirteenth season Saturday, June 4, at 10:00 PM ET.  No further information has been given; I am presently looking into that.
• Dan for Mayor‘s second season premieres Sunday, June 5 at 7:30 PM ET.
• Hiccups‘ second season will have its first three episodes air Monday at 8:00 PM ET, starting May 30.  The show will then move to Sundays at 8:30 PM ET, starting June 19.
• The Borgias will make its CTV broadcast debut Tuesday, June 21, at 10:00 PM ET.
• So You Think You Can Dance Canada‘s fourth season returns Monday, June 20 at 8:00 PM ET.  The results shows begin Tuesday at 8:00 PM ET, starting July 5.

Yeah, I know.  My neglect of URBMN means these Alliance Home Entertainment titles, if not already out, are coming very soon.  Hey, a few of you are actually purchasing these titles through my links, so I must be doing something right…that or Americans are cross-border shopping.

The titles for April to June 2011, plus a selection for August:

Almost Heroes and Single White Spenny will debut June 2, 2011 on Showcase, kicking off a Thursday night comedy lineup.  Almost Heroes will air at 9:00 PM ET/PT, followed by Single White Spenny at 9:30 PM ET/PT.  The two shows will be twinned with Curb Your Enthusiasm and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.